On this week’s episode of the DFL Debrief Podcast, we sat down with DFL House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler to discuss all things budget! DFLers managed to secure some big wins in this year’s budget despite intense opposition from Minnesota Republicans. Listen to the podcast here.
SAINT PAUL, Minn. – Rep. Rob Ecklund (DFL – International Falls), Rep. Rick Hansen (DFL – South St. Paul), House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler (DFL – Golden Valley), Rep. Sydney Jordan (DFL – Minneapolis), Rep. Patty Acomb (DFL – Minnetonka), Rep. Ami Wazlawik (DFL – White Bear Township), Rep. Kelly Morrison (DFL – Deephaven), Rep. Todd Lippert (DFL – Northfield), Rep. Ginny Klevorn (DFL – Plymouth), Rep. Jay Xiong (DFL – Saint Paul), Rep. Heather Keeler (DFL – Moorhead), Rep. Jamie Becker-Finn (DFL – Roseville), Rep. Samantha Vang (DFL – Brooklyn Center), Rep. Fue Lee (DFL – Minneapolis), Rep. Peter Fischer (DFL – Maplewood), Rep. Steve Sandell (DFL – Woodbury), Rep. Zack Stephenson (DFL – Coon Rapids), Rep. Liz Reyer (DFL – Eagan), Rep. Erin Koegel (DFL – Spring Lake Park), Rep. Jamie Long (DFL – Minneapolis), Rep. Michael Howard (DFL – Richfield), and Rep. Emma Greenman (DFL – Minneapolis) issued the following statement calling for the resignation of Minnesota Board of Animal Health (BAH) President Dean Compart:
“Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) poses a critical threat to Minnesota’s wild white-tail deer population, and the Board of Animal Health has the responsibility to hold cervid farms in our state accountable for their role in its spread. Unfortunately, by failing to act, the BAH and its leadership have continued to let down those who enjoy deer hunting. Worse, future generations potentially won’t be able to enjoy these cherished traditions if CWD is allowed to spread, and based on the frequency at which the disease is identified in new areas of the state, unless urgent action is taken, it almost certainly will.
“All Minnesotans deserve a healthy deer herd and comprehensive solutions to protect it. If the deer farms won’t be accountable to the BAH, and the BAH won’t be accountable to Minnesotans, it’s time for BAH President Dean Compart to do the honorable thing and resign.”
Continue reading “House DFL Lawmakers urge resignation of Minn. Board of Animal Health President”SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA — Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and Majority Leader Ryan Winkler released the following statement on today’s bipartisan budget agreement:
“I am pleased we have reached an agreement on the framework for a bipartisan budget that prioritizes students, families, workers, and small businesses,” said Speaker Hortman. “After a year of unprecedented challenges, we have the resources to help the Minnesotans who have sacrificed the most while investing in a Minnesota that works better for everyone. This budget makes significant investments in E-12 education to help our students recover from a difficult year and works to close our opportunity gaps. House DFLers also remain committed to including meaningful criminal justice reforms in our final budget. While this agreement does not contain everything we would have liked and the need for ongoing investment in the future remains, we worked together and achieved a compromise that is in the best interests of Minnesotans.”
“Families and workers are finding it more difficult to get ahead. Thanks to President Biden and Democrats in Congress, there are significant resources to help Minnesotans who are struggling the most, but it doesn’t change the fact that Minnesotans’ needs are not being met by current levels of investment,” said Majority Leader Ryan Winkler. “For too long, Minnesota put the rich and well-connected first. Thanks to the House DFL Majority and Governor Walz, Minnesota is now moving in a direction that provides a world-class education, affordable child care, and financial security for all — no matter where you live or what you look like.”
SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – Today, the Minnesota House approved an orderly off ramp of the eviction moratorium declared by Gov. Walz last year that will prevent a wave of evictions while ensuring landlords are made whole for rent that is owed to them. The bill provides a roadmap to transition off the current residential eviction moratorium by ensuring renters have enough time to access federal funding for rental assistance when the COVID-19 related peacetime emergency ends and provides clarity to the process.
“As more vaccines become available, the pandemic is easing, yet there are still many of our neighbors who are unemployed and face the risk of eviction.” said Rep. Alice Hausman (DFL-Saint Paul), chair of the Housing Finance and Policy Committee. “The eviction moratorium reduced the spread of COVID-19 and protected the most vulnerable Minnesotans from the threat of losing their home. We must continue to protect those Minnesotans once the eviction moratorium is lifted, and this bill provides a realistic timeline for both landlords and tenants to access the rental assistance that will keep people in their homes.”
“We hope the end of the pandemic is in sight, but we don’t want to replace a public health crisis with an eviction and housing crisis for Minnesotans,” said House Speaker Melissa Hortman. “Stable housing is the foundation for success for individuals and families. We must ensure a smooth, stable transition as we get to a post-COVID world and the end of the eviction moratorium.”
Continue reading “Minnesota House Approves Eviction Moratorium Off-Ramp”SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – Today, the Minnesota House passed its Health and Human Services Budget aimed at building a better health system for Minnesotans after the COVID-19 pandemic. The budget strengthens our public health systems, addresses health inequities, makes prescription drugs more affordable, and expands coverage for low-income Minnesotans. The bill also includes needed investments in affordable child care for Minnesota families.
“This legislation builds a better health care system for Minnesotans, especially our public health care system which our entire state has relied upon throughout the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Rep. Tina Liebling (DFL – Rochester), Chair of the House Health Finance & Policy Committee. “This budget expands important health care coverage in numerous areas and will strengthen health and wellbeing for children and families. The bill also reaches underserved populations and has solutions to reduce health inequities. These important investments will help more Minnesotans have a healthy future and better quality of life.”
During COVID-19, many Minnesotans found telehealth valuable, and the budget expands and enhances these emerging services. As more Minnesotans worry about the future of affordable health care – even those who have coverage through their employer – the budget will launch a study of a MinnesotaCare public option. Furthermore, as Republicans continue to attack the Affordable Care Act in court leaving the future of its critical protection’s uncertain, the budget codifies important ACA provisions – like those protecting people with preexisting conditions – into state law. The bill also eliminates the “family glitch,” a problem occurring when an individual is ineligible for MinnesotaCare because they have access to employer coverage through a family member, even though the coverage is unaffordable.
Continue reading “Minnesota House advances Health and Human Services budget package”SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – House DFL lawmakers Wednesday introduced new legislation to increase opportunities for equitable COVID-19 vaccine access. In response to the vast disparities outlined in reporting from the Minnesota Department of Health, Representative Kelly Morrison (DFL-Deephaven), Representative Jay Xiong (DFL-St. Paul), Representative Hodan Hassan (DFL-Minneapolis), Majority Leader Ryan Winkler (DFL-Golden Valley), and 31 other House DFLers are leading efforts to close the gap and get more vaccine doses distributed to marginalized communities across the state.
“By doubling down on our efforts now to get shots into as many arms as possible, in every corner of the state, we can crush the virus and close the chapter on this public health crisis,” said Rep. Morrison, a practicing physician and Assistant Majority Leader in the Minnesota House. “The Minnesota Department of Health has been doing an incredible job handling the pandemic response, but we can and should do more for our communities who have been especially hit hard over the last year.”
The legislation would establish a Mobile Vaccine Program, in which mobile vaccination vehicles are deployed to disproportionately impacted communities around the state to provide COVID-19 vaccines to those residents. A mobile vaccination vehicle providing vaccines in a community with a large number of residents with limited English proficiency must also be staffed by interpreters for the needed languages.
Continue reading “House DFL lawmakers introduce legislation to increase opportunities for equitable COVID-19 vaccine access”SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA — Today, Minnesota Management and Budget released the November Economic Forecast, showing a projected $641 million surplus in the current biennium and a $1.273 billion shortfall in the FY 22-23 biennium. The forecast includes inflation on the revenue side and excludes it on the spending side in several key areas. Inflation is estimated to be $1.3 billion in the next biennium, which could roughly double the budget shortfall. Minnesota currently has $350 million in the state’s cash flow account and $2.377 billion in the budget reserves.
Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and Majority Leader Ryan Winkler released the following statements:
“This is positive news, but we have a long way to go to fully recover from COVID-19,” said Speaker Hortman. “We need to invest in the areas that will help Minnesotans make it through this crisis and thrive after it, including protecting their health and economic security. This forecast allows us to provide some assistance to those struggling the most during this difficult time, and then focus on rebuilding Minnesota’s economy in the 2021 Legislative Session. House DFLers are committed to building a Minnesota that works better for everyone.”
“Today’s forecast is further evidence that Minnesota has the resources to invest in our people and provide economic opportunity for everyone. We only need the will to act,” said Majority Leader Winkler. “We need to focus our efforts to help working families, small businesses, and Minnesotans hit the hardest by this pandemic — not corporations, the wealthy, and well-connected who are still doing very well. The relief bill that we presented last week puts working families first, strengthening unemployment insurance and providing support for small businesses. The question now is whether the Republican Senate majority agrees.”
SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA — Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and Majority Leader Ryan Winkler released the following statements on COVID-19 economic relief legislation:
“The burden of protecting Minnesotans from the spread of COVID-19 has hit some businesses and workers harder than others. While we join state leaders across the country in urging federal action to provide economic relief as soon as possible, we are working as quickly as we can on state measures to provide additional assistance,” said Speaker Hortman. “We need to work together to help those struggling during this tough time, and then turn our attention in the 2021 Session to rebuilding Minnesota’s economy in the wake of this pandemic.”
“The public health guidelines and restrictions in place are needed and saving lives, but hurting an important segment of businesses and our economy. The state needs to take action,” said Majority Leader Winkler. “We have seen a pattern with many COVID efforts from the federal government — corporations, the wealthy, and well-connected have been the biggest beneficiaries of federal aid, while working families have to make do with what’s left. We have to do better in Minnesota. With strong investments in unemployment insurance and other programs that aid low-income families, we can help those who are struggling the most. We are ready to work with our Republican colleagues to provide relief as soon as possible for both workers and businesses.”
The COVID-19 relief package from House DFLers and Governor Walz includes critical measures to:
SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA — With 100 votes, Minnesota House lawmakers today approved legislation that will create and protect tens of thousands of jobs. The nearly $2 billion package would be a major boon to Minnesota’s economy at a time when the unemployment rate is stuck at historically high levels due to the pandemic. House Republicans previously blocked passage of similar jobs bills in May and July.
“We listened to Minnesotans who have been asking for our help,” said House Capital Investment Chair Mary Murphy (DFL-Hermantown). “This economic stimulus bill connects Minnesotans to other Minnesotans, addresses critical public infrastructure needs across the state, and will create thousands of jobs at a time when they are sorely needed. I am grateful to everyone who contributed to this important jobs and local projects and economic development package.”
According to the most recent data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate stands at 7.9% and job gains were lower than expected in September. The US economy is still 11 million jobs short of pre-pandemic levels.
Continue reading “Minnesota House approves major jobs legislation to jumpstart economy”SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – Today, the Minnesota House approved the Minnesota Police Accountability Act. The legislation, authored by members of the People of Color and Indigenous (POCI) Caucus, contains strong police accountability reforms and measures to ensure racial justice.
“Today, we’re beginning to make the overdue changes Minnesotans have been demanding to help ensure no more lives are lost due to police violence,” said Rep. Carlos Mariani (DFL – Saint Paul), bill author and chair of the House Public Safety and Criminal Justice Reform Division. “By passing this bill into law, we’re taking the first steps toward major changes to hold police officers accountable for harmful acts, and we are committed to continuing our work for safer communities. It wasn’t safe for George Floyd or for Philando Castile, and they deserved a better way to police that builds community.” Continue reading “Minnesota House Passes Police Accountability Act”
